Part of aging is slackening of both our skin and the support tissues beneath. This creates sagging across the body, but especially in certain areas such as the lower abdomen, the tummy. If you’re a woman and have had a couple of kids, it’s almost guaranteed. Clinically known as abdominoplasty, the goal of a tummy tuck is to tighten and change the contour of the abdomen area. The procedure removes excess fat and skin, and restores weakened or separated muscles, resulting in a flatter, more contoured abdomen.
Abdominoplasty is a specialty of Dr. Frank and his patients from Calgary and the surrounding areas are thrilled with their slimmer contours afterwards.
What causes the sagging that merits a tummy tuck?
When the skin is overstretched for a long period of time, it has trouble rebounding to its former degree of tautness. That’s what happens during the weight gain of pregnancy, or if the patient has gained a good deal of weight and has then shed the pounds. In many cases, the muscles that control the area have become stretched and separated, diminishing their ability to tighten the area as they formerly did. Plus, simple aging tends to make both our muscles and the underlying tissues less tight. A tummy tuck is more about skin and muscle than fat.
Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?
If you have loose, inelastic skin, with some pockets of fat, a tummy tuck is the best option (combined with light liposuction to remove the fat). Pregnancy is especially hard on the abdominal muscles because the way it focuses the weight gain in such a small area. This can permanently stretch and separate the abdominal muscles and they won’t return to their former degree of tautness without surgery.
However, if you think you may want to have additional children, your tummy tuck will have to wait. The effects of pregnancy will negate the results of your tummy tuck. Also, people who plan on losing additional weight should delay their tummy tuck because the additional weight loss will create more loose skin. It’s important to remember that abdominoplasty is a body-contouring procedure, not a weight loss procedure. You should be at a healthy weight prior to surgery, with a BMI (Body Mass Index) no greater then 30.
Are you interested in a slimmer contour on your lower abdomen? Call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 and set up a consultation for abdominoplasty.
